Ornamental Ipomoea plant named &#39;Balspotack&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of an ornamental  Ipomoea  plant named ‘Balspotack’, characterized by dark purple-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, compact, mounded to trailing growth habit, is disclosed.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Ipomoea batatas.

Variety denomination: ‘Balspotack’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Ipomoea plant botanically known as Ipomoea batatas and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Balspotack’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Arroyo Grande, Calif. during November 2012. The objective of the breeding program was the development of ornamental Ipomoea cultivars with a well-branched, compact and mounded growth habit with good garden performance under high night temperatures.

The new ornamental Ipomoea cultivar is the result of cross-pollination. The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar is ILLUSION Midnight Lace ‘NCORNSP-011MNLC’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,743, characterized by its purple-colored foliage and compact, semi-upright, densely-mounding growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar is Sweet Caroline Raven ‘NCORNSP-015SCPI’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,613, characterized by its dark purple-colored foliage and compact, semi-upright, mounding growth habit. The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single plant within the progeny of the above stated cross-pollination during July 2013 in a controlled environment in Arroyo Grande, Calif.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since July 2013 in Arroyo Grande, Calif., and West Chicago, Ill. has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘Balspotack’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Ipomoea plant:

-   -   1. Dark purple-colored foliage; and     -   2. Moderately vigorous, compact, mounded to trailing growth         habit. Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the         female parent primarily in having a slightly darker foliage         color and a different central lobe shape. Plants of the new         cultivar differ from plants of the male parent primarily in         having a narrower central lobe and more deeply incised lateral         lobes.

Of the many commercially available ornamental Ipomoea cultivars, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is SolarPower Black ‘Balsolablack’, U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 14/544,484. However, in comparison, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Balsolablack’ in at least the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar are more compact, especially under         high night temperatures, than plants of ‘Balsolablack’;     -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have foliage that resists         discoloration, “burning”, especially under high light and high         night temperatures, more than plants of ‘Balsolablack’; and     -   3. Plants of the new cultivar have a darker foliage venation         color than plants of ‘Balsolablack’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Balspotack’. The plants were grown in 4.5-inch pots for 5 weeks in a greenhouse in West Chicago, Ill. Plants were pinched at transplant.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and habit of ‘Balspotack’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual leaf of ‘Balspotack’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2007 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined in October 2015 under natural light conditions in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants produced from cuttings from stock plants and grown in a glass-covered greenhouse under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown in West Chicago, Ill. in 4.5-inch pots for 5 weeks in a greenhouse utilizing a soilless growth medium. Plants were pinched at transplant. Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately 66° F. to 70° F. (19° C. to 21° C.) during the day and approximately 58° F. to 62° F. (14° C. to 17° C.) during the night. Greenhouse light levels of 2,500 footcandles to 6,000 footcandles were maintained during the day. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plants.

-   Botanical classification: Ipomoea batatas cultivar Balspotack. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—ILLUSION Midnight Lace ‘NCORNSP-011MNLC’,             U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,743.         -   Male parent.—Sweet Caroline Raven ‘NCORNSP-015SPI’, U.S.             Plant Pat. No. 23,613. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 3 to 4 days.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 21 to 28             days.         -   Root description.—Fibrous, medium thickness, white to light             brown in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 4 to 5 weeks from a             rooted cutting to finish in a 10 cm pot.         -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Moderately vigorous,             compact, mounded to trailing growth habit.         -   Size.—Height: Approximately 10.5 cm. Width: Approximately             23.5 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching, pinching enhances basal             branching. Quantity of main lateral branches per plant:             Approximately 3, each axil has latent shoots.         -   Branch.—Shape: Round. Strength: Strong, slightly flexible.             Length: Approximately 5.0 cm. Diameter: Approximately             3.0 mm. Length of central internode: Approximately 5.0 mm.             Texture: Glabrous. Color of young stems: 187B. Color of             mature stems: 187A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per main branch:             Approximately 11. Fragrance: None detected. Form: Simple.             Arrangement: Alternate, spiral.         -   Leaves.—Shape: Roughly deltoid in overall form, palmately             divided with 5 lobes, central lobe elliptic to narrowly             elliptic. Margin: Entire. Apex of central lobe: Acuminate.             Apex of lateral lobes: Acute. Base: Cordate. Venation             pattern: Palmate with arcuate venation in the center lamina.             Length of mature leaf: Approximately 10.0 cm. Width of             mature leaf: Approximately 8.5 cm. Length of central lobe:             Approximately 8.5 cm. Width of central lobe: Approximately             3.5 cm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous. Color             of upper surface of young foliage: 144A with an overlay of             N186A, venation same color as lamina. Color of lower surface             of young foliage: Closest to 146C with midvein of and an             overlay of N186C. Color of upper surface of mature foliage:             N186A with venation of N186A. Color of lower surface of             mature foliage: Closest to N186C with venation of N186D.         -   Petiole.—Length: Approximately 5.0 cm. Diameter:             Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: 187B. -   Flowering description: The new ornamental Ipomoea cultivar is grown     as a foliage plant and is not grown under conditions that are     conducive to flower production. -   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests     common to Ipomoea has not been observed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of an ornamental Ipomoea plant named ‘Balspotack’, substantially as herein illustrated and described. 